Question For Coyote Hunters with 204's

[helotaxi]

The 45gn stabilizes just fine out of my NEF Handi-rifle with a 1:12 barrel. Looking in the Hornady manual, they don't mention the need for a faster twist barrel for the 45gn. They're usually good about mentioning the need for a faster than standard twist. They do mention the 45gn as meant for the likes of coyotes.

[J.Baker]

Mr. Furious,
I thought about the 45's, but didn't think I could get stabilization out of the 1:14 twist.
Thoughts??


Hornady's 45gr SP's aren't any longer than the 40gr BT's and they have a longer baring surface, so they don't need a faster twist like the 50gr Bergers do. You give up a little in the B.C. department with them, but it's not like we're trying to shoot yotes at 500 yards with our 204's.

[sharpshooter]

I have also noticed that Les Anderson from Predatorquest as switched from his Howa 204 to a Howa 22-250 with 52gr Hornady bthp Match bullets, Makes you wonder why?



You mean Les Johnson......he has to hunt with equipment his sponsers are selling,(at least on camera )His personal favorite gun is a Remington 22-250 shooting 52 gr. bullets.
I don't think he had anything against the .204, but when you've been hunting with a 22-250 for years, it's hard to get accustomed to a different caliber and trajectory.

[darkker]

Good info on the 45gr.'s Thanks, Furious.
It was possibly in here.... I don't remember where the thought came from.
In any case I had a nice discussion with the boys over at Lilja.
Even thought Sweets, Kroil, et al. said my bore was clean, Lilja said no. So I did as instructed and did three different cleanings of JB bore paste, with about 20 strokes both ways.
Got some cute little *HARD* flecks out of the bore, so "hard carbon" fouling does exist.
And the odd flyers and inability to kill coyotes is gone. I have now killed two with 40gr V-max's, one with a 35gr Berger, and one with the 34gr Dogtowns.
So provided you don't (I guess) damage the jacket with hard carbon, yes 204's WILL kill yotes handily. And no it Doesn't matter where you hit them.
Caught the last one in the spine, running away up a hill; at 263 paces.

Thanks for all chiming-in.

[Coyotejunki]

Myself and some of my friends have killed enough coyotes with the 20 caliber and the 17 caliber centerfires to establish in our minds that they are plenty big enough to kill coyotes.

One of the guys I have hunted with on the Foxpro forum, on their last contest, killed somewhere near 100 this year. I'm pretty sure that he likes the 19 Calhoon, which is almost a .204 cal.

Shot placement seems to be the key element.

I use the 35 Bergers exclusively with the 20 cal rifles I hunt with.

[darkker]

At this point my gun seems to favor the 40 Gr V-max. and there is no doubt when you hit them.
Since I was given 400 of the afore mentioned bullets, that is my poison for the next little while.

BL-C(2) works phenominally for me! Happy hunting to all.

[MAGNUS]

Yay for the .20 cals!!!!

[Three44s]

I have a friend that hunts 'otes for a living (a salary) and he swears by his .204.

Me, ......... I have never met a coyote that could argue with a .243!

NEVER!

But I have used about everything on them and started with .243's, moved to a .22-250 .... currently using a .223 ...........

..... and just built a .25-06 for the purpose! (A Savage thanks to the kind folks right here!)

So you could say I have really danced around this subject.

But it comes down to this.

If you have a DRT standard for killing ...... you want horsepower and placement.

(DRT stands for Dead Right There)

I had "buyers remorse" when I first switched to the .22-250 but I was/am cheap .... and I had to learn to use better bullets ..... so I settled first on the Sierra game kings and later on the Nosler Bal. Tips all 55 gr.

My DRT's started piling up with either of these fine slugs.

The last three years I have been toting around a .223 ..... and though I use the most deadly Hornady 55 gr. SX ....... I don't have DRT's unless I place it quite skillfully.

One recent expample was one that I ended up shooting right through his ear .... a definite DRT!

Three 44s

[1Shot]

I have a friend that hunts 'otes for a living (a salary) and he swears by his .204.

Me, ......... I have never met a coyote that could argue with a .243!

NEVER!

If you have a DRT standard for killing ...... you want horsepower and placement.

(DRT stands for Dead Right There)

Three 44s



...Nosler 70gr. BT's gets it done... ;)

[Dennis]

...Nosler 70gr. BT's gets it done...
(ftp://...Nosler 70gr. BT's gets it done...)

Agree, also the Nossler 55gr BT's ger ur done also!

[Three44s]

Actually, I have not even found a bullet in the 6mm class when fired out of a .243 ..... so long as it expands that does not litterally HAMMER a coyote.

We're talking blow the dust outa their ears and off their backs and DUMP'em. :'(

My old standard bearer has been Hornady's 75 gr. HP flat base.

Three 44s

[1Shot]

...If you want to blow the dust outa the ears go with Nosler 85gr BT's out of a 25-06 at about 3800fps...

[Three44s]

Thanks 1shot,

I'll try that. I figured that 85 -87 gr. was about the optimum range for the 25.


Three 44s

[MAGNUS]

.20 cals.....

;) :D ;D

[Three44s]

I have a friend that hunts 'otes for a living (a salary) and he swears by his .204.

.................................................. .................


Three 44s




He uses his .204 day in an day out for a living no less!

His rifle is not a Savage so I won't go into those details ......but only to add:

His ammo of choice is Hornady and he could not get the 40 gr load to group best, he sticks with the 32 gr. (He's a handloader with no time to pursue it)

Three 44s

[kweeks10045]

My 221 Fireball with 52gr SMK's at 3000fps does better than that. It may not shoot as flat past 250 yards, but at the distances it seems you guys are shooting, it may be good medicine. I got complete pass through on a 100lb whitetail doe at 240 yards. Quarter size hole out and both lungs devastated. I like 15.5 gr of IMR4227 in my loads. No recoil, cheap to shoot, low muzzle blast and noise compared to .223, 22-250, etc. I now there are a number on here that shoot them. Maybe a new barrel on your 204 is in order when you get tired of your current trials.